Chapter 46 – Flames of Despair.
Jonathan and Sara looked at him. There was no fear in their eyes because their only goal was for Aiden to escape. Jonathan turned his head slightly toward Sara, his expression calm but determined as he said, "Let's give our all."
Sara nodded, her gaze firm as she replied softly, "Yes, we will make sure that Aiden is safe."
They both turned their attention toward Michael. A faint, mocking smile appeared across Jonathan's face as he taunted, "Is this the strength you wanted to show us? Is that all you can do? A Stage 5 mana cultivator could not even injure two Stage 4 mana cultivators."
He lowered his eyes briefly, glancing at his own body, which was now completely healed. Then, in a steady, cold voice, he said, "Is this the despair you wanted us to feel?"
Michael's expression twisted in rage. Anger welled up within his heart as arcs of electricity crackled around his hands, as he shouted. "I will kill you,"
He growled, his voice trembling with hatred. "Then I will take my sister with me. She will marry into the same house she once ran from. She will become a concubine—that will be the truest form of despair for you!"
Jonathan's expression darkened instantly, turning from calm to fury, while Sara, standing beside him, felt pure disgust for her brother's words.
Suddenly, Jonathan vanished. He reappeared beside Michael in an instant, two blazing lava blades materializing in his hands as he began to strike fiercely. The air trembled as the attack got closer.
Michael reacted quickly, summoning a sword of lightning and meeting Jonathan's attack head-on.
The battlefield erupted in flashes of molten orange and crackling blue as both men teleported rapidly back and forth, their strikes cutting through the air like thunder and flame dancing together.
Sara disappeared as well, her presence disappearing in the midst of battle. Dozens of puppets materialized around Michael, their empty eyes gleaming as they moved to hinder his movements, creating opportunities for Jonathan to land a decisive blow.
Stones trembled, trees bent unnaturally, and the ground itself began to rise—Sara's control spreading through nature as she controlled different things as they obeyed her will.
Michael, focused on combat, felt irritation rising within him. Every time he tried to deliver a lethal strike to Jonathan, a boulder, root, or wooden puppet would intercept him, diverting his attacks. "Damn it!" he roared, slashing wildly.
Jonathan appeared to his left in a flash and swung both of his lava blades. Michael raised his lightning sword to parry.
The weapons collided—lava against lightning—sending out a shockwave that scorched the ground beneath their feet. One of Jonathan's lava blades shattered, molten fragments scattering across the battlefield.
But Jonathan didn't conjure another lava blade. Instead, he suddenly formed a small, condensed ball of lava in his palm, its heat distorting the air around it.
Without hesitation, he thrust his hand forward and launched it toward Michael at point-blank range.
Michael reacted instantly, raising his hand to conjure a lightning orb—but before he could release it, a wooden arm burst from the ground and grabbed his wrist.
It was one of Sara's puppets. Michael snarled and unleashed a shock of electricity, shattering the wooden limb, but it was too late.
The lava sphere struck him squarely in the stomach.
A violent explosion erupted. Michael was hurled backward, engulfed in flame, his body crashing against the ground with tremendous force.
Fire and molten debris scorched the surroundings, burning everything within a hundred meters to ash. Dust and smoke filled the air, hiding everything from view.
Jonathan raised his arm, conjuring a stream of water that settled through the smoke, clearing the battlefield. As the dust settled, a lone figure emerged through the haze.
It was Michael. His once-pristine armor of earth was cracked and shattered; a gaping hole lay open in his abdomen, the flesh beneath blackened and charred. Blood dripped from his lips as he panted heavily, barely able to stand.
He glared at Jonathan and Sara, hatred burning in his eyes. His voice came out hoarse, filled with disbelief as he whispered to himself. "Why… why am I so seriously injured while they are completely fine? This shouldn't have gone like this. I should have won easily… but why? Why!?"
Then, suddenly, his trembling lips curled into a sinister smile. A wicked idea flashed through his mind. Without warning, Michael vanished from his spot and reappeared high above the village.
Arcs of lightning began to dance around him as he raised both hands toward the sky as he said. "Let's see how calm you remain now,".
He unleashed his spell—Lightning Rain—as countless bolts of lightning began to fall from the clouds as they headed towards the village.
Sara and Jonathan's eyes widened. They vanished instantly, reappearing inside the village, but the storm had already descended.
Bolts of lightning struck houses, the ground, and people alike. The air was filled with screams as flames erupted across rooftops.
Jonathan gritted his teeth, his eyes glowing with fury. He raised his arms, conjuring a torrent of mana to intercept the bolts falling in his area.
Sara's hands moved in swift gestures, summoning dozens of puppets that leapt into the air, intercepting strikes one after another. Yet despite their desperate efforts, there were too many bolts to stop.
Lightning struck houses, burning them to ash with people still inside. Children screamed, elders cried out for help—chaos consumed the whole village.
Jonathan and Sara fought tirelessly, but even their combined strength could not save everyone. The screams grew louder, and the stench of burning wood and flesh filled the air.
By the time the storm faded, half of the village was reduced to rubble, and nearly seventy percent of the villagers had died.
Jonathan's heart pounded violently in his chest. He looked around frantically until his gaze landed on a small, chubby boy standing in front of a collapsed, burning house.
Tears streamed down the boy's soot-covered cheeks. It was Stefan—Aiden's friend. His parents lay dead inside the house that had burned to nothing.
Jonathan appeared beside him in a flash. Stefan saw him as he shouted, "Uncle!" The boy began to cry, reaching out.
Before Stefan could say anything more, Jonathan grabbed him and teleported away, appearing far from the burning ruins. Stefan looked around in confusion, his voice trembling as he sobbed, "Uncle, please save Mom and Dad!"
Jonathan's heart ached. He said nothing. The pain in his chest grew heavier as he realized the truth—Stefan's parents were dead, they were victims of Michael's madness. And it was because of Michael… but also because of them.
Meanwhile, Sara was moving swiftly through the village, helping any survivors she could find.
Her hands glowed with healing light as she closed wounds and extinguished fires. Suddenly, she saw a man running through the smoke, carrying a small girl with golden hair in his hands. She was Cybil.
Sara vanished, reappearing before him. "Give her to me!" she said. The man froze in shock but quickly handed the girl over.
Sara laid Cybil gently on the ground. As she checked her body. Her arm was broken, her skin covered in small burns and cuts. Light shimmered in Sara's palm as she began to heal her, as she asked the man, "Where are her parents?".
The man hesitated as he said. "They're both dead… burned by the lightning."
Sara's eyes dimmed. She nodded solemnly as she said. "Go. Leave the village—and take as many people as you can with you."
The man nodded quickly and fled. Sara continued her healing until Cybil's wounds had closed. Then she lifted the girl into her arms and teleported away, appearing beside Jonathan, who was still trying to console a crying Stefan.
Sara saw the scene and instantly understood what had happened. Jonathan looked up and said, "Sara, teleport both of them to safety."
Sara nodded silently. She placed her hand on Stefan's shoulder and vanished, taking both children with her.
They appeared far from the village, deep in the mountains, then they teleported once more—into a quiet, hidden cave. The air inside was cool and silent.
Sara gently laid Cybil on the ground and turned toward Stefan. "Don't be afraid," she said softly. "When everyone is safe, I will come to get you, okay?"
Stefan nodded through his tears.
"If I don't come for you," she continued, her tone turning serious, "it will mean something happened to me. So you must protect Cybil, understand?"
The boy nodded again, wiping his face.
"No matter what happens, don't leave this cave," Sara warned. Stefan nodded once more, clutching his trembling hands together.
"I will be going now," she said quietly. "I have to save the others." And then, in an instant, she vanished.
Stefan stood there in silence, staring at the empty spot where she had stood. Then he turned toward Cybil and sat beside her, watching her sleep.
Back in the village, Sara reappeared amidst the wreckage. She continued to teleport the surviving villagers to the same cave where Cybil and Stefan waited.
Just as she was about to save another group, a cruel, maniacal laugh echoed through the air.
"Ha ha ha! Hahahaha!"
Sara turned sharply, looking up toward the sky. Michael floated above the ruins, his face twisted in insanity, his laughter echoing like thunder as he said. "Do you feel despair now, Jonathan?" he shouted. "Does this make you angry?"
Jonathan appeared beside Sara, his eyes were filled with rage. Sara's eyes burned with hatred. They both knew—this had gone too far.
Without any hesitation, Jonathan vanished, appearing behind Michael once again. A small sphere of molten lava formed in his hand, growing larger until it shone like a miniature sun. He hurled it toward Michael.
Michael responded instantly, forming a massive orb of lightning and launching it forward. The two attacks met, colliding mid-air in a devastating explosion.
But Jonathan didn't wait for the smoke to clear. He reappeared behind Michael and delivered a powerful kick to his back. Michael was caught off guard and was too slow to defend.
The strike sent him crashing into the explosion, and before he could recover, Jonathan conjured another blazing sun and hurled it into the chaos.
The explosion illuminated the entire area. When the light faded, Michael stood at its center, his shirt completely burned away, his skin blistered and blackened. His breath came in ragged gasps.
"I can't lose!" he screamed hoarsely. "I am a Stage 5 mana cultivator! How can I lose to you!?"
Jonathan looked at him coldly as he said. "Yes, you are a Stage 5 mana cultivator, but you advanced forcefully using resources. Your foundation is unstable. You can't use the full power of a true Stage 5 cultivator. It's only been a year since you advanced—you haven't trained enough."
He paused, his voice took a mocking tone as he continued. "A half-Stage-5 like you cannot defeat both of us."
Michael's face twisted in anger. He wanted to refute it, but no words came out.
Sara appeared beside Jonathan, her tone calm but filled with hatred as she said. "Let's end this, brother."
Michael's eyes widened. He began gathering his strength for one last attack—but then, from the corner of his eye, he saw a small figure standing near the edge of the burning village. A child with brown hair.
Without hesitation, Michael vanished.
Jonathan's heart tightened as he saw this. He and Sara vanished at the same moment.
Michael reappeared before the boy, conjuring a lightning sword and swinging it down mercilessly.
Jonathan appeared in front of the child just in time, intercepting the attack—but Michael suddenly released his sword as he thrusted his left hand forward. A lightning dagger formed in his grip.
It pierced straight through Jonathan's stomach.
Michael grinned, his expression twisted and cruel as he said with a mocking smile. "I knew you were going to come, to save this boy".